Well I don't see why you have to choose one - there are loads of really good Jazz bassists and for different reasons. We are in BG land so if we're sticking with electric players then it probably has to be Jaco, with Stanley Clarke, a close second, but there are loads more I like for different reasons and if we include Doube Bass, then there are hundreds - but then we probably get moved to DB!

So like Mingus, Paul Chambers, Nils Henning Orsted Pederson, Ray Brown, Ron Carter would have to be on most people's list and relative "newcomers" like Christain McBride and Avishai Cohen, might still have their best work in front of them, but I like so many and wouldn't want to choose!

I don't think that's an answerable question. IMO there is no one "greatest". Like everybody, though, I have my distinct favorites. Since we're in the bass guitar dept, some of my fave jazz e-bassists are

Jaco
Steve Swallow
John Patitucci
Marcus Miller
Jimmy Haslip

But when you're talking jazz, the overwhelming majority of bassists are upright bassists, so let me sneak in a few of those:

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield Well I don't see why you have to choose one - there are loads of really good Jazz bassists and for different reasons. We are in BG land so if we're sticking with electric players then it probably has to be Jaco, with Stanley Clarke, a close second, but there are loads more I like for different reasons and if we include Doube Bass, then there are hundreds - but then we probably get moved to DB!

So like Mingus, Paul Chambers, Nils Henning Orsted Pederson, Ray Brown, Ron Carter would have to be on most people's list and relative "newcomers" like Christain McBride and Avishai Cohen, might still have their best work in front of them, but I like so many and wouldn't want to choose!